On This Day In History
This day 76 years ago – 6 June 1944 - the Normandy landings, also known as D-Day, took place.
Among those who took part was Major Redmond Cunningham from Co Waterford, who led a troop of Royal Engineer tanks, and captured 200 German soldiers.
He received the Military Cross. pic.twitter.com/kxrQJ4y4QK
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) June 6, 2020
This day 50 years ago – 6 June 1968 – Robert Kennedy died, having been shot the previous day by Palestinian gunman Sirhan Sirhan.
All four of Kennedy's grandparents were children of Irish immigrants.
Taoiseach Jack Lynch led an Irish delegation to attend the senator's funeral. pic.twitter.com/xKJXraDidh
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) June 6, 2018
June 6th 2010 was 'Doña Gracia Day' in New York City. In the 1560s Gracia Mendes Nasi, merchant and patron of the arts, started an 'underground railroad' for European Jews persecuted by the Inquisition. Settling in Istanbul, she established synagogues, schools and a Hebrew press. pic.twitter.com/e5KtJUPwSH
— On This Day She (@OnThisDayShe) June 6, 2022
On this day in 1966, James Meredith was shot on the second day of his 220-mile "March Against Fear" to encourage Black voter registration and defy white supremacy across the South. To overcome racial inequality, we must confront our history. https://t.co/NDmGHiX8Cd
— Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) June 6, 2022
6 June 2006. American singer-songwriter and keyboard player, Billy Preston, died (aged 59). He played on The Beatles album, Let it Be, and he went on to have a successful solo career. He was nominated for 9 Grammy Awards and won 2. pic.twitter.com/yCW5s2nt5Q
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 6, 2022
6 June 2005. Hollywood star, Anne Bancroft, died (aged 73). She won a Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Miracle Worker, but was best known as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, a role that she later said came to overshadow the rest of her film career. pic.twitter.com/yMhRbKBoIJ
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 6, 2022
"The best way to get most husbands to do something is to suggest that perhaps they're too old to do it."
― Anne Bancroft (died June 6, 2005) pic.twitter.com/ZVaApqvSBe— MacCocktail (@MacCocktail) June 6, 2017
PHOTO OF THE DAY: The D-Day invasion, captured on Radar (6 June 1944). pic.twitter.com/TfGN8itW8E
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 6, 2022
June 7th
1494 Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal divide the new world along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa
1628 English King Charles I ratifies the Petition of Rights
1654 Louis XIV crowned King of France
1753 British Museum founded by an Act of Parliament with royal assent from King George II (opens in 1759)
1929 Vatican City becomes a sovereign state
1965 The Supreme Court of the United States decides on Griswold v. Connecticut, effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples
Did You Know?
Thomas Malthus publishes the first edition of his influential 'Essay on the Principle of Population' (date of the unsigned preface)
Today in History in 1798
Would You Believe?
Police warn bald men against attacks in Mozambique after 5 men murdered for the gold believed in their heads
Today in History in 2017
This day 21 years ago – 7 June 1998 – Garry Hynes became the first woman in the world to win Best Director at the Tony Awards, held in New York City.
A native of Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Hynes won for a Broadway production of Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane. pic.twitter.com/p0Vu3ZE9iH
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) June 7, 2019
In June 1942 Cree woman Mary Greyeyes was the first indigenous woman to join the Canadian Army. This picture of her with 'her father, a chief' (he was neither) made her a celebrity. Asked to pose at a polling station, she refused as the Cree were not allowed to vote at the time. pic.twitter.com/RZYiDvPAL9
— On This Day She (@OnThisDayShe) June 7, 2022
On this day in 1920, the KKK hired publicists to grow the white supremacist organization. Within 16 months, nearly 100,000 new members joined. By 1924, there were three million active members. To overcome racial inequality, we must confront our history. https://t.co/TTi8y9qcDD
— Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) June 7, 2022
7 June 1329. Legendary Scottish King, Robert “the Bruce”, died (aged 54). He was one of the most famous warriors of his generation, and led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England. He defeated Edward II’s English forces at the Battle of Bannockburn. pic.twitter.com/2lcUIu6b3S
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 7, 2022
7 June 1946. BBC TV resumed broadcasting after 7 years off the air during the Second World War. There were very few viewers as the price of a set at that time was very expensive. pic.twitter.com/6WZ0KMDwYE
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 7, 2022
7 June 1970. Edward Morgan (“E. M.”) Forster died (aged 91). His novels examine class differences and hypocrisy, including: A Room with a View, Howards and A Passage to India. All were made into films. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature 16 times, but never won. pic.twitter.com/FFMeCcr4fu
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 7, 2022
7 June 2015. Legendary British film actor, Christopher Lee, died (aged 93). He’s best known for portraying villains including: Dracula, Rasputin, Bond villain Scaramanga, Count Dooku in Star Wars and Saruman in Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit film trilogies. pic.twitter.com/TJUaBnXX43
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 7, 2022
7 June 1954. Alan Turing died (aged 41). He was a key influence on theoretical computer science and computation with the Turing machine, considered a model of a general-purpose computer. He was not fully recognised during his lifetime due to prejudice against homosexuality. pic.twitter.com/h97dtXqUT8
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) June 7, 2022
June 8th
452 Italy invaded by Attila the Hun
793 Vikings in long ships from modern-day Norway plunder St Cuthbert's monastery on Lindisfarne Island, off the northeast coast of England capturing and killing monks
1191 King Richard I of England arrives at Acre in modern day Israel to join the Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade
1783 Laki volcano in southern Iceland begins 8-month eruption, killing 10,000 and causing widespread famines throughout Asia and Europe
1789 James Madison introduces a proposed Bill of Rights in the US House of Representatives
1918 Nova Aquila, brightest nova since Kepler's nova of 1604, discovered
1987 New Zealand's Labour government legislates against nuclear weapons and nuclear powered vessels in NZ. Only nation to legislate against nuclear power.
Did You Know?
Ives W. McGaffey of Chicago patents the 1st vacuum cleaner, calls it a "sweeping machine"
Today in History in 1869
Would You Believe?
Reds' Edd Roush falls asleep in center during long infield argument Heinie Groh goes to wake him, but umpire ejects Roush for delay of game
Today in History in 1920
This day 44 years ago – 8 June 1974 – thousands lined the streets of Kilburn, London for the funeral procession of Provisional IRA member Michael Gaughan, who had died on hunger strike five days earlier.
Gaughan's remains were later taken to his hometown of Ballina, Co. Mayo. pic.twitter.com/Bv0heBQwQE
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) June 8, 2018